Review: ‘& Juliet’

After a world premiere in Manchester, a multi-year run on London’s West End, and a summer in Toronto, & Juliet has finally erupted on Broadway in a mushroom cloud of glittery confection. One of the most feel-good musicals of the millennium opened Thursday night at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

Set to radio hits of pop music’s most iconic ladies, the musical is kickstarted when a self righteous William Shakespeare (Stark Sands) announces the ending of his newest tragedy, you guessed it, Romeo and Juliet. But the star-crossed suicides are met with immediate rejection from his troupe of actors and wife Anne Hathaway (Betsy Wolfe). Claiming his plays are notoriously too tragic, Anne snatches William’s quill and rewrites an alternative ending to his play: one where Juliet (Lorna Courtney) chooses not to end her life. What follows is a glimmering journey of self-discovery supported by a sonic backdrop of Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kesha, Ariana Grande, P!nk, and more.

With a tracklist made up entirely of bubblegum pop songs from Swedish music producer/songwriter Max Martin, & Juliet is a surprisingly well crafted iteration of the jukebox genre. Martin’s musical refuses to be associated with the current trend of screen-to-stage adaptations composed of filler music and bio-musicals that merely recreate an artist’s greatest hits. While the material may not be fully original, the narrative is refreshing. It’s the Mamma Mia! of the 2020s.

Although the formula of & Juliet is rather obvious (a self-empowerment narrative placed alongside self-empowerment anthems), it’s strategic in its execution. The lyrics aid in the dramatic structure by propelling exposition and fueling characters’ motives. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. When we first see a grieving Juliet alone onstage, she’s brandishing a bloody dagger and singing, “My loneliness is killing me and I must confess I still believe. When I'm not with you, I lose my mind. Give me a sign. Hit me, baby, one more time.” It’s absolutely absurd, yet each lyric resonates nonetheless.

Luke Sheppard in his Broadway directorial debut and choreographer Jennifer Weber (whose work can also be seen in this season’s KPOP) pump an impressive energy into their fast-paced staging and cardio-heavy dance. The dynamic ensemble is beautifully diverse in identity and unanimous in skill. A total of thirty musical numbers, many of which were initially written for a solo artist, have been mashed up and sliced into duets and group numbers. Triple threat Bill Sherman serves as music supervisor, orchestra, and arranger. Sherman, with assistance from Dominic Fallacaro, has morphed the American Top 40 Chart into a two and half hour musical theatre score that never loses steam.

The recognizable tunes are positioned against a backdrop of the Italian Renaissance. Another bold that choice that shouldn’t work as well as it does, but other recent Broadway phenomena prove the efficacy of clashing styles. & Juliet joins the successes of Hamilton and Six, which also place contemporary music and flares into historical eras. The phosphorescent world is brought to life by Soutra Gilmour’s transformable set, Howard Hudson’s stadium-ready lighting, and Paloma Young’s Elizabethan-turned-streetwear costumes.

Writer and producer of television’s “Schitt’s Creek”, David West Read returns with another knowingly and unapologetically cheesy script. It’s no magnum opus. But we’re immediately sucked into his story, happily willing to suspend our disbelief and surrender to its goofy dialogue. The principals handle Read’s comedy wonderfully, each bringing their own sense of campy, over-the-top humor. But it’s the women who undoubtedly walk away with the show.

Lorna Courtney, making her Broadway principal debut as the title role, proves to be worthy of her own spotlight. Courtney belts out the bangers with precision and resonance. All of the songs she performs (eight times a week) were originally cooked to perfection in a recording studio with auto-tune and other enhancements. They’re designed to be performed live on massive stadium tours with lip-synching, in-ear monitors, and backing tracks. Courtney requires no such assistance.

Betsy Wolfe handles the cringeworthy dialogue of Anne Hathaway marvelously, taking on a cool mom persona complete with one-liners and puns. In Act Two, Wolfe reveals a hidden sorrow of her character (delivering a fabulous Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way It Is”) as she falls second place to her husband’s other love: his work. Wolfe understands the genre she’s working in and commits herself to elevating its cartoonish tone.

Melanie Le Barrie brings heart and comedic chops to Juliet’s nurse (now named “Angélique”), remaining by her side throughout their expedition. Having originated the role in the 2019 London production (which I attended twice), Le Barrie remains quick on her feet with an unwavering performance.

Underneath the showy aesthetics are a handful of storylines of moderate depth - some of which bubble too close to the surface at times. But the musical takes itself just seriously enough to present some worthwhile discussion. With the power of William’s quill, Anne creates a best friend for Juliet named May (a sweet Justin David Sullivan) who grapples with their gender identity. Angélique reflects on a steamy affair from her past (which we learn is what brought her to the Capulets) after the old fling is rekindled. Françios (a charming Philippe Arroyo) struggles to satisfy his overprotective father while discovering that love can appear in unconventional forms. Juliet questions the meaning of familial love, shouting, “What kind of parents would rather see their daughter dead than be married to a man from the wrong family?”

After the curtain call, I turned to my theatre date and said, “This show is going to ruin theatre etiquette” and I mean that in a somewhat positive way. You’re invited to ditch motionless, silent viewership for the sake of a lively experience. Without revealing an especially entertaining moment in Act Two, it’s evident the performers feed off the excitement radiating from their audience. It’s impossible to stop your toe from tapping or keep your head from bouncing along with the heavy synthetic bass provided by sound designer Gareth Owen.

I’d like to share a shoutout for the front-of-house staff at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre who I'm positive will be fending off video recorders, hushing rowdier parties, and reassigning seats each night of & Juliet’s likely long run. It’ll be boozy bachelorette party madness. Security and ushers are often the only theatre workers an audience will directly interact with during their visit and yet they’re the least likely to receive applause.

On paper, this show is what every serious and seasoned theatergoer would despise, turning up their nose at the idea of mainstream commercialism invading their precious Broadway stage. It’s a flashy, gimmicky jukebox musical that oozes high-budget spectacle. A guaranteed tourist trap. And yet it’s pure bliss.

& Juliet is certainly not the deepest nor most intelligent piece of theatre. There’s really no need to pretend that it is. But it’s an escape from our mundane and significantly less sparkly reality. It serves as a reminder to laugh at absurdity, cherish the friendships we have, and touch base with our all too forgotten self worth. When we’re gifted a joyous blast of nostalgia, it might be best to put our defenses down and cherish the opportunity to relive a teenage dream.

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